London, England - Media Reviews

Media Review - By Dave Reynolds

Feels Like Makin' Love

Gun have the bit between their teeth and are competing very hard indeed. Most people, however, have not anticipated such an early start, so the arena is barely two-thirds full for the Glaswegians' 'sweet-as' half-hour set. Gun appear to be just about coming to terms with playing in-the-round.

Frontman Mark Rankin demands that all of the four front rows must at least get to their feet, whilst his colleagues make the best of their dull sound by throwing themselves into their work. But, as the song says, there will be 'Better Days'.

A poster currently adorns the walls of some Tube stations drawing attention to an Evangelical mission to London - and it's occurring at this very venue in the hall next door. 'We're not asking you to believe in miracles', it states, before adding; 'all we're asking is that you come along to see, hear, and decide for yourself'. It's a message that could clearly also apply to Def Leppard.

The band are finally appearing in-the-round over here, thus giving home audiences a chance to see a real American-style arena show for once. Four years ago they were prevented from doing so due to safety restrictions and red tape, but the back-room boffins have come up with a sleeker and lighter rig and PA which won't bring roofs crashing down. You've got to hand it to Leppard for their persistence.

As showtime nears, few people notice the flight cases being wheeled in, but they contain the members of the group being smuggled under the stage. However, when the lights go down and the curtain/teepee finally shoots up to the strains of 'Stagefright', Earls Court erupts. This clearly is an event.

'Joe Elliott's trouser sense has not improved': 'New Boy Vivian Campbell looks like a member of Metallica dressed all in black'; 'Tear It Down' - the first 'Adrenalize' number of the night - is a prime slice of of enormodome rock'. The pen scribbles such brief notes as the eyes try not to miss anything happening on a stage smothered in a cascade of reds, blues and purples. The tempo is taken down with the haunting 'Women' and 'Too Late For Love'. Green circles drift across the set, reminiscent of those moments in 'Captain Scarlet' when the Mysterons resurrect another victim in their fight against Spectrum. 'Hysteria' then washes and soothe, almost relaxing until a twin break from Viv and Phil Collen kicks in.

'All the way from Walthamstow', Collen is the first of the duo to solo. Vivian's comes three songs later and the Irishman's is actually the more bearable of the two, being, dare I suggest, more in the excellent Dann Huff vein.

By the time 'Rocket' arrives. Leppard know they have a captive audience. Yet sometimes it's so slick it almost seems incidental that those five guys up there are actually in on the party, for Leppard have got this thing so well rehearsed and so damn impressive that you sometimes wish they'd do something off-the-cuff or even - heaven forbid - make a mistake. But Elliott reveals he's far from the untouchable superstar rock god by joking that he's bursting for a pee, before grabbing a guitar for an acoustic version of 'Bringin' On The Heartbreak'. That's followed by by the pining ballad 'Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad' from the new record, which is one of the few songs on 'Adrenalize' which actually has something to say. You can't deny the band can pull a good pop-rock anthem out of the bag, but while 'Let's Get Rocked' and 'Make Love Like A Man' are strong, rhythmic stadia tunes, the lyrics - like those in 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' and 'Armageddon It' - leave much to be desired. Yet it's 'Let's Get Rocked' that grabs much of the audience's attention as they punch the air as one, allowing Leppard to vacate the stage to deafening applause."

"Def Leppard deserve it though, because despite my usual nit-picking they don't appear to to be doing much wrong, especially with such a spectacular stageshow to hand. That show is surely crowned during 'Rocket', when the lighting capsules descend ominously as if to crush the band like ants, before moving outwards over the audience. Meanwhile, bassist Rick Savage leaps atop Rick Allen's drum platform and the pair move upwards on a hydraulic riser, KISS-style, giving the impression that the drumkit is taking off.

Perhaps only Iron Maiden will be able to top this gig this year. Then again, perhaps not.

By Kerrang! 1992.

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